The most enlightened assessment of New York Theater Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” would probably come from a child between the ages of 3 and 8. Such is the target demographic for this abridged version of the holiday standard, which returned to Gould Hall over the weekend as part of the company’s Once Upon a Ballet series.

For the grown-up viewer — alas, the only perspective I can provide — it’s a charming production that sheds light on what constitutes “kid friendly”: bright colors, quick scene changes, lots of props and an atmosphere tolerant of chattering, squealing audience members, who were especially boisterous at Friday’s matinee. But the show doesn’t sacrifice a certain level of sophistication. At just an hour, this “Nutcracker,” choreographed by Keith Michael, packs a lot in, while imaginatively addressing the passage and suspension of time.

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Carmella Lauer of New York Theater Ballet, foreground, performing in the production, choreographed by Keith Michael.CreditAndrea Mohin/The New York Times

The centerpiece of Gillian Bradshaw-Smith’s Art Nouveau-inspired set is a large clock with adjustable, removable hands. In the overture, Godfather Drosselmeyer’s nephew (Stephen Campanella, who also plays the Nutcracker Prince), opens the apparatus to reveal three youngsters (Giulia Faria, Izzy Hanson-Johnston and Kaitlyn Pohly, the Tick Tocks) responsible for cranking its gears.

Also stowed away there, dozing at first, is the frazzled Drosselmeyer himself (Mitchell Kilby), a master timekeeper who activates the Tick Tocks with his golden key. Another set piece with time-bending properties — a tall picture frame on wheels — introduces the Christmas Eve party hosts: Marie (the genial Amanda Treiber) and her parents (Rie Ogura and Michael Wells, who return later as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier).

If the party scene is sleepy — with just five dancers, it feels underattended — the pace picks up as night deepens and mice descend on Marie’s solitary moment with her nutcracker toy. Aided by soldiers on horseback (who, like the mice and other characters, are played by very capable, adorable children from the affiliated Ballet School NY), Marie embroils the despotic Queen Mouserinks (Carmella Lauer) in her own tail, making her an easy target for the newly incarnate Nutcracker Prince. As far as “Nutcracker” battle scenes go, it’s a solid one.

Elsewhere, Mr. Michael’s choreography (danced to taped excerpts from the Tchaikovsky score) is more laborious. I think I joined the 8-and-under cohort in most enjoying the Land of Sweets divertissements, particularly the sprightly Harlequin trio for Alexis Branagan, Brent Whitney and Mr. Kilby as a bumbling interloper. The clock, transformed for these proceedings into a candy-bedecked throne, is reassembled in the end, and time, momentarily frozen, pushes on.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page C2 of the New York edition with the headline: A Prince, a Time-Bending Clock and Magic at Work. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe